Amid 2020's gloom, there are reasons to be hopeful about the climate in 2021 | John Sauven

The concerted global response to the pandemic could be replicated for the fight against the climate crisis

In a world rife with disputes and divisions, there will be one emotion likely to unite most people at the stroke of midnight on 31 December: sheer relief that 2020 is finally over.

There's no risk of overstating it: this past year has pushed our world right to the edge. A single virus leaping from animals to humans was enough to kill 1.6 million people, bring major economies to their knees, and cause untold anguish and suffering all over the world.